Soccer fever boosts TV ratings for Argentina's final World Cup friendly

The final friendly match for Argentina's national soccer team before the 2026 FIFA World Cup generated substantial excitement, reflected in a significant surge in television viewership. Telefe broadcast the match against Iceland from Alabama, with Pablo Giralt providing commentary and Juan Pablo Varsky offering analysis.

The broadcast began with a strong lead-in from Wanda Nara's series, "Triángulo amoroso," which had already captured a significant audience. The pre-match coverage started at 12.9 rating points, and by the time the game kicked off at 22:00, the rating climbed to 18.6 points. A goal by Valentín Barco in the eighth minute pushed the rating to 23.5 points, with the first half peaking at 26 points.

During the second half, the audience remained high, starting at 21.9 points. Several player substitutions occurred, including the entry of Lionel Messi, who received a standing ovation. Messi scored his 117th international goal, bringing the score to 2-0. Thiago Almada added a third goal late in the game, with the second half reaching a maximum rating of 25.8 points.

As is typical during major sporting events, other television channels experienced a considerable drop in viewership. Programs like "Es mi sueño" struggled to compete with the massive audience drawn to the soccer match, highlighting the unparalleled ability of live football to concentrate viewers.

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No program can achieve what football does, concentrating a large audience that wants to see a live event in real time, something that a few years ago was commonplace.